Distinguishing features

Female macroptera. Body brown to dark brown, tarsi and antennal segment III yellow, IV largely pale; fore wings light brown with base paler. Antennae 8-segmented; segment I with paired dorso-apical setae; segments III–IV with forked sense cone; VI with base of sensorium very broadly expanded. Head wider than long; 3 pairs of ocellar setae; pair III anterior to hind ocelli, about as long as side of ocellar triangle; postocular setae small, close to posterior margin of eyes. Pronotum with 1 pair of long posteroangular setae; posterior margin with 4 pairs of setae. Fore tibia with 2 recurved tubercles at apex, ventrally and laterally; mid-tibia without a small claw at apex. Metanotum reticulate, campaniform sensilla present; median setae arise at anterior margin. Mesofurca with spinula. Fore wing first and second veins with almost complete row of setae; clavus with 6 veinal setae and one discal seta. Tergites without sculpture medially; VIII with group of irregular microtrichia anterior to spiracle, posteromarginal comb represented by several microtrichia laterally. Sternites without discal setae, VII with median setae arising in front of margin.
Male macroptera. Similar to female but smaller; tergite IX posterior margin with pair of setiform processes about twice as long as wide; sternites without pore plates.

Related species

Females of this species cannot be distinguished from females of several other species of Odontothripiella, including O. australis, but the males have a pair of pointed setiform processes on the ninth tergite that are only about twice as long as wide. Odontothripiella is an Australian genus that currently includes 18 described species, with several more undescribed species also known. The genus shares many character states with Megalurothrips, in particular the presence of a pair of small setae dorsally at the apical margin of the first antennal segment.

Biological data

Feeding and breeding in the flowers of Pultenaea elliptica and P. tuberculata [Fabaceae].

Distribution data

Known only from Australia; New South Wales and Queensland near Brisbane.

Family name

THRIPIDAE - THRIPINAE

Species name

Odontothripiella aloba Pitkin

Original name and synonyms

Odontothripiella aloba Pitkin, 1972: 270.

References

Pitkin BR (1972) A revision of the Australian genus Odontothripiella Bagnall, with descriptions of fourteen new species (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 11 : 265–289.